Salt 101

By S CaronMarch 22, 2011

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Salt of the Earth?

Salt is just, well, salt, right? Well not exactly. There are many types of salt out there, designed for all sorts of uses. Here are a few popular ones that you might want to explore when you are cooking.

Table Salt – You probably grew up on this stuff. It’s has tiny bits that shake easily from salt shakers. Table salt is refined, and comes from underground deposits. Iodized salt, which has added iodine, is a version of this. This is used in baking, on tables and for seasoning dishes.

Kosher Salt – Kosher salt has larger, flat crystals, which makes it ideal for the process of koshering. This salt is fantastic for rubbing on meats or sprinkling on veggies before cooking as well. It works in some baking applications, but not all.

Sea Salt – Sea salt is created when sea water evaporates. It comes in several forms. Sea salt crystals are just what they sound like: large pieces of crystallized sea salt. Use this in a salt grinder, or use a morter and pestle to grind it down. Another version of sea salt is grey sea salt, which is slightly moist and generally fine in texture. You can use it to season dishes, or as a finishing salt.

Black Sea Salt – Yes, it’s black. Very black. Black sea salt comes from Hawaii and is a combination of sea salt and activated charcoal, which is supposed to be good for digestion. It’s primarily used as a finishing salt – and is perfect on seafood. Or, you can also sprinkle a little on bread that’s been buttered with unsalted butter.

Himalayan Pink Salt – This salt is mined in Pakistan, and has a pink-ish color, due to the minerals in it. You use it as you would table salt. This is my personal favorite for seasoning sauces.

Seasoned Salt – Salts like lavender salt, spicy sea salt and truffle salt are blends of salt and other flavorings like herbs. Use it as a finishing salt.

Sarah W. Caron (aka scaron) is a food writer, editor and blogger who writes about family-friendly foods and raising a healthy family at Sarah’s Cucina Bella.